Rebirth
by Ooo-shiny
Summary: Join me as I take up the mantle of Artemis. Based off the episodes, except with my charater inserted. Better than summary says.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N…I have a new craving…Join me as I pose as Artemis. Starts at the beginning of the Batman Beyond series.**

Hi, my name is Niki, and I'm Artemis. You think I'm kidding? Well, if you had told me that a year ago, I would have laughed. I'm just a rebellious girl that frequently gets detention. But you've got to understand me, before I go any further.

My name, like I already stated, is Niki. I'm 16, going on 17. I'm about 5 ft 10, slim, and lightly built. I have dark brown hair, which frequently has temporary streaks in it. I always wear combat boots, or I always used to wear combat boots. My eyes are grayish green, and the style of clothes I wear are usually rebellious.

My mom and dad work for Wayne Powers, and as far as I can tell they're pretty far up in the system. They are having…"relationship problems", due to work. They work in China, meaning, I'm home alone…a lot.

Anyhow, back to the story.

I drummed my fingers on the plastic cover of the train seats. The number of passengers that surrounded me were few. A teenage boy about my age. A bunch of middle aged women, several of them clutching grocery bags, several on their way home from work. About 2 men, who were also, I guessed on their way home from work. And they were all quiet.

All in all? A pretty normal bus ride.

There were a few attempts at conversation, which quickly died out. I think everyone was relieved when the commercials on the TV were over, and we could go back to pretending to be thourouly engrossed in the news cast.

A Joker stepped on the bus, laughing hysterically. I rolled my eyes, thinking _Jokerz. _He headed down the bus, sauntering as if he owned the place. He stopped by me.

"Hello pretty lady."

"Get lost." I replied bluntly.

"Aw, does pretty girl need a laugh?"

"Does the poor Joker need to get serious?"

His face darkened a little. Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he leapt up, and ran to the TV on the train's wall. Smiling, he pulls out a spray paint can, and draws a face on the news lady.

His 'joke' gets no response.

Frowning, he scans the faces of the passengers. He leaps over to one of the women.

"I saw you smile! Yes, I did!" He tells her, holding out his hand.

"What do you want?" She asks cautiously.

"Payment for the joke you bought!" He tells her. "I give you funny, you give me money!"

"I didn't buy anything!" She says desperately, scanning the faces of the passengers, searching for help.

He laughs. "Aw, you're shy. I'll just help myself."

The teenage boy behind me strides up, a scowl on his face. He yanks the purse out of the joker's hand, and pushes him into the TV.

"Oh, a big man!" The joker says, annoyed.

I'm sitting at the front of the bus, slightly behind the Joker. I stand, and yell "Catch!"

Luckily the boy gets my message. I kick the Joker's head. He launches toward the boy. The boy pushes him backwards again, and the joker once again slams the TV. He laughs hysterically, and then races out the door.

I decide to pretend none of it happened, sit down and mind my own freakin' business.


	2. Chapter 2

**Terry: *coughs***

**Artemis: How the **** did you get in here?**

**Terry: I'm Batman, Remember?**

**Artemis: Yes, I do remember. I watch you everyday. It's still unnatural.**

**Terry: Stalker…**

**Artemis: No, you're a cartoon.**

**Terry: Shouldn't I get paid?**

**Artemis: No. And why are you here again?**

**Terry: Oh. The old man told me to remind you that you need a disclaimer.**

**Artemis: Ahh…I own nothing except for Niki. But I don't own her alternate idenity, Artemis.**

**Terry: That's better.**

**Artemis: You're cute…**

**Terry: OK… *Backs away slowly***

**Artemis: DO YOU LIKE WAFFLES! I LIKE WAFFLES, I ALSO LIKE DUCKS. DO YOU LIKE DUCKS? WHAT ABOUT BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIES? I LIKE BLUEBERRY SMOTHIES. I DON'T LIKE WAFFLE BLUEBERRY AND DUCK SMOOTHIES. DO YOU LIKE WAFFLE BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIES?**

**Terry: You're weird.**

**Artemis: You're first clue?**

My foot tapped the slightly damp, pitch black pavement. How _long_ could a line into a club be? I sighed and considered walking away. It's not like I had a date. Then I corrected myself. I had waited in line this long, and another hour couldn't do that much harm.

I sighed, trying to focus on something, anything, besides that phone conversation with my dad.

An abbreviated story of my life, for anyone who is interested.

I've literally been alone since I was 12. You think I'm kidding? Well, my mom and dad are high up in the Wayne Powers Company, and work in China frequently. So when my dad called it was the usual how are you, what are you learning in school routine.

Then he told me that he as coming home. That we'd have Father Daughter time. He told me that some very important people were after his work and he might not see me in a while.

My whole freakin' life I'd thought about this. This moment where he'd come home and figure out what my favorite color was, my favorite Café, and my favorite food. My boyfriend, how my life was.

So how I responded surprised me.

"So ya finally comin' home, huh?" I demanded. "'Bout time, don't ya think? Don't bother. It doesn't hurt anymore."

Him not being there was like a cut that slowly fades into a scar. It hurts at first, and then every once in a while it throbs, but your afraid to rub it for the fear of opening it up again.

A guy raced up through the line, in a hurry, he just about passed his girlfriend. Skidding to a halt, he smiled at her. I immediately assessed that she was _way _out of his league.

She had long black hair, pretty greenish blue eyes, and was wearing a blue dress. She kissed him slightly.

"I thought you were in solitary confinement!" She tells him.

"Nah." He replies. "I gave myself time off for good behavior."

I don't think she fully got the meaning of, 'giving yourself time off', because she said, "Good. Now hold our place for a sec." She races out of the line, her black hair flowing out behind her.

He watches her race into the distance, and then his eyes seem to suddenly notice me.

"You're that girl that was on the train."

"Yeah." I deadpanned. "And you're the boy from the train. Your point Captain Obvious?"

He glanced at me with this half confused look in his eyes. (Oh, how I love that look.) "I never caught your name." He informs me.

"That's because I never gave it out."

"Well yeah, duh, or else I'd know it."

It's Niki." I tell him. "Niki Lamborn.

"Terry McGinnis. "

Just then his girlfriend returned. He seemed relieved that he can forget me. And truthfully, I was kinda glad that I could forget him.

Seconds later the Jokerz appeared.

**A/N I know, not a great cliffhanger, or chapter, but bear with me. Read and review!**


	3. Chapter 3

A Joker picked me up, sweeping me up on his motorcycle, and with a smirk on his face, said, "Hello Pretty."

I punched him in the jaw, sending him flying off the motorcycle. "Bye Dreg," I whispered under my breath.

Terry had taken off down the street on a red motorcycle, keeping ahead of the Jokerz. Without heasitation, I followed him.

* * *

><p>"What are you doing here?" Demands Terry as I pull up beside him. He had to shout to be heard over the roar of the wind and the motors.<p>

"Last time I checked it was a free country!" I retort.

He looks at me, then slams the gas and races up the hill. _Well, _I think, _Here goes nothin'. _I rev my engine, and take off.

* * *

><p>The wind whips my hair, pulling it out of my braid, and making it hard to see. I follow Terry faithfully though, finnally catching up to him. The forests beside us whirl by, not leaving enough time to find any landmarks, or anything similar. Suddenly a man stepped out of the shadows, "What the-" Terry started, but I didn't hear him finish because we took oposite sides. I narrowly missed falling off the cliff, while Terry slammed into the side of the hill, flying off his bike. Pulling up by Terry, I jump off, and get into fighting position.<p>

"Aww," Said the leader of the Jokerz "Did no fun kids have a wreck?"

"Lets put a smile on his face." Says a bulky Joker in a monotone voice, while flipping out a knife.

I take a catious step back, ready for what happens next, just not wanting it to happen.

"Leave them alone," Calls a voice from the shadows. "And get off my property. You're tresspassing."

A girl Joker turns to face the man stepping out of the shadows. "Are we?"

The leader smirks, turning to face him also. "Do you know who we are?" He asks, and then without waiting for an awnser says, "We're the Jokerz!"

The man smiles slightly. "Sure you are." He then smacks the joker with his cane repeadetly, sending him flying back.

Terry and I join him in fighting position, fists balled. The battle was over in a matter of seconds. The Jokerz are the ones to retreat, racing off on their motorcycles.

I watched them, amazed. To think that the old man could do that? Terraffying.

"Wow." States Terry. "That was amazing! I mean-" He turns to see the old man, hunched over, breathing hard.

"What's the matter?" I ask, racing over.

"My medicne." He managed to gasp. "In the house."

* * *

><p>That, is where our lives changed forever.<p> 


End file.
